Important changes to Statutory Sick Pay came into force on 6 April 2026 under the Employment Rights Act 2025, and we want to ensure that you have the support you need to respond.

Here’s what changed:

• SSP is now payable from day one of absence. The previous three waiting days no longer apply
• The lower earnings limit has been removed. Every employee is now entitled to SSP, regardless of what they earn

For many businesses, this has already increased costs and for those without a structured approach to absence management, the impact may be growing without it being immediately obvious.

What this means for your business depends on how you currently manage sickness:

1. If you pay SSP only – your costs have increased from the moment these changes took effect. Without the right processes in place, short and frequent absences can quickly become a pattern that’s difficult and costly to manage. This is the moment to put a proper absence management framework in place
2. If you pay contractual sick pay – this is a good prompt to check your policies are up to date and that your managers know how to apply them fairly and consistently

Read our guide: We’ve put together a helpful overview of the changes and what they mean in practice – read our guide here: Understanding the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) changes and how they impact your business

Watch our recorded webinar: You can also watch our on demand webinar where we discussed the April 2026 changes here: April 2026 changes recorded webinar

If you’d like to take the next step, here’s how we can support you:

• Complimentary policy and handbook review: We’ll review your existing sickness absence policy and handbook to make sure they reflect the new rules, are legally compliant, and give your managers something clear and consistent to work from: https://www.realityhr.co.uk/april-2026-employment-law-changes/
• Absence management toolkit: A bespoke process built around your business, so you have the right framework in place to manage absence fairly and effectively from day one: https://www.realityhr.co.uk/absence-management/
• Absence management training: The policy only works if your managers know how to apply it. From having early conversations, to spotting patterns, to managing return to work – we’ll equip your managers with the confidence and skills to handle absence properly: https://www.realityhr.co.uk/absence-management-training/

These changes are already in effect. If you’d like a conversation about where your business stands, please get in touch.